I have the opportunity to purchase a new range at a very steep discount and am looking at an induction range. Other than needing to replace a few pots and pans, what are some of the con's of owning one. I'll be replacing an electric range so the outlet and breaker are already there.
I don't have one, but did a ton of research on them, investigating whether it would make sense to do that in our kitchen. We would have to get a whole new circuit put in place to handle it, and with the big plumbing/HVAC outlays we had to do last year, we just can't swing the expense for a while. But I'd do it if I could. I do plan to get a portable single burner, and perhaps that's a way forward for you as well? To try out whether you even care for the way they cook before making the big investment (although I recognize your steep discount may not last long). Looking forward to hearing what you decide!
If you can't have gas, I hear they are the next best thing, due to faster heatup and instant shutoff, unlike a conventional electric range. Check that the induction range doesn't need more amps than your current electric range however. The ones I looked at used 50A or 60A circuits - my kitchen just has 30A for a wall oven.
Currently own:
Weber 22 and 26 Kettle.
Regular gasser with rotisserie.
Custom built horizontal stick burner.
Custom built duel fuel "whole hog" cooker.
​​​Many other tools of the trade.
We are now on our second induction range. I cannot think of any complaints we have with induction. With the wok ring, we even use our wok on the high/large burner.
Edit: Our current unit has a 'keep warm' burner. We Never use this. If/when we replace this unit I will look for one that has a 5th burner (if available). Not a deal breaker-just never use this function.
Last edited by mcook2201; February 17, 2024, 08:20 AM.
My only experience with induction is a single element portable we use on the patio. I like the fairly accurate ability to control temperatures with digital accuracy over relying on eyeball estimating on a gas range. One thing to be aware of is the size of the magnet under the glass. Sometimes they are a fair bit smaller than the indicator ring printed on the glass surface. Too big of a pot on too small of a magnet can lead to hot spot issues.
As for the decision to make it a sole kitchen cooker I can imagine only one potential risk, depending on your life experience and expectations for "disasters". In the event of a prolonged power outage you won't have a usable stove compared to a gas unit that most often still works without electricity. Given the high current draw of the induction unit you'd need a good sized emergency generator to support it along with whatever other devices you deem critical. If that scenario isn't a concern then no problem.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
We were faced with this choice about 5 years ago. All the wiring etc. is in place. We were replacing a coil burner electric.
We decided to go with conventional, glass top, and I don’t feel like we are missing anything. The left front burner has two sizes, and heats up very quickly; the other three burners are slower, but certainly adequate. All four are very responsive to small changes, all four hold temperatures well.
I’m sure I’d be completely satisfied with an induction top as well, or a range with a mix of types, which might also be a good option; we looked at one that had the left front induction, and the other burners conventional. In the end, we decided the cost wasn’t worth the difference.
Another thing to look at is the choices in self-cleaning option. Some are steam clean only; others do the high heat burn-off. Ours has both choices. The steam clean is useless, the burn-off is excellent. Just an FYI. The manual for ours says to avoid using oven cleaner.
ETA: We chose the Whirlpool W10432689A. It is the simplest one, with a couple custom features that I never use, like automatic shut off, delayed start time, etc. I figured if I never used those, I would never use anything MORE complex, either. I don’t think I’m missing anything.
Last edited by Mosca; February 17, 2024, 08:21 AM.
I have been cooking on our induction cooktop that came with the house for over six years now and I love it. Easy cleanup, quick cooldown, and I only had one large cheap stockpot that was aluminum and had to be replaced since it didn’t work with induction when we moved in. I can’t really think of a reason not to recommend induction over electric or gas.
Mosca In most states, there is a government rebate available that will pay for most of the cost of swapping your gas range with an induction one, so before anyone buys an induction unit, they should check with the state about what programs are available. Here in GA, it'd cover most of the cost of the range, but I still need to have electrical work done, which is the big sticking point for me right now.
Mosca I think it’s a federal grant handled through the states specifically to replace gas ranges with electric or induction. If you make less than 80% of your area average it covers 100%. If you make between 80% and 150% it covers 50% up to $840. The rebates are at point of sale so they’re immediate and you won’t have to wait.
I of course love smoked meats of all kinds, but also like quick cooks like chicken portions, pork tenderloins, steak and fish. Really into cooking of all kinds.
My outdoor kitchen has a Lone Star Grillz Adjustable and it is wonderful. There also is a Pit Boss 5 Burner Ultimate Griddle and a Pit Boss Copperhead pellet grill.
There is an outdoor fire pit that has grilling capability and limited Santa Maria-style grill raising and lowering.
You asked about any bad things. I have a GE Café induction range with double oven. Two things I do not like: 1) Pans will sometimes buzz depending on power setting and pan. 2) There’s a griddle feature that links two burners for a large griddle; however, it leaves the middle colder and it’s a bit of a struggle to use.
Both are a minor and I knowing about them I still would buy it again in a second. We had an electric stove so we were wired. We had gas piped to the kitchen and reading about the hood and ventilation requirements for gas that was worse than any wiring we may have had to do. My stainless steel and cast iron pans work great and the temp control is instant without having a glowing hot surface afterwards. It’s hot, just not 3rd degree if you accidentally touch it. The double oven (if included) is awe-some. One standard, one convection.
The occasional buzz that Bogey mentioned is my only complaint and that’s minor. We switched to induction a year or so ago and I wouldn’t want to go back to regular electric. If I was given the ability to easily have gas, then I wouldn’t be as sure.
As someone who has always cooked with gas i can’t give a critique of the induction experience. I’ve heard the performance is fantastic once you get used to it. For example I have heard you need to preheat the pan briefly or risk damaging it. I haven’t switched to induction because they all have glass tops. It’s easy to clean but less durable than an iron grate and I think it will haze over time like every glass cooktop i have seen. This has prevented me from switching as i like to slide the pan on the grate when i sautee and i think an expensive range should be beautiful. One benefit is that you don’t have to vent while you are cooking to remove the combustion by products from your home. 🔥🔥🐿️
I am on my second. I put in a Bosch induction cooktop in a large kitchen remodel about 11 years ago. When I moved into this house, I replaced the glass top regular (that had a front burner not working) with the same Bosch induction. I love it. I also had a few old aluminum pots I passed onto my nieces, I was already primarily cooking on stainless and cast iron. I love the rapid on and off, it really is as quick as gas, I think. Top is easy to just wipe off, and a nylon scrubbie if needed (rarely). I'm sold.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
MsTwiggy I’ve cooked most of my life with electric, but when I was younger I often lived in apartments with gas ranges. Whichever one you’re used to, the other takes some adjustment if you change. But both are fine.
My only problem with the glass top is when we first got it, I used the wrong type of pad to clean it, and I put a nice scratch mark in it. I could buff it out using a power orbital and some glass polish, but it doesn’t bother me enough to do that. 4 years in its still pretty good, otherwise. Mine hasn’t hazed; when I get a haze, it’s not the top, it’s residue that hasn’t been completely removed. A microfiber towel gets it clean.
I wouldn’t switch ANYTHING unless I had to. If we had a good gas range, I’d keep it as long as it worked.
They seem great and if I needed a new range I'd probably get one. But you asked for a downside. My relative has a pacemaker and was told he could not cook on it ( he doesn't cook too much anyway).
That's all I got.
My dad has a pacemaker and it was a concern for us. I researched it and I found it met my safety needs. Basically as mentioned, he’d have to lay on the burner with it full on and something may happen.
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